The new online poker reality show “2 Months, $2 Million” debuted on cable station G4 on Sunday night at 9:00pm ET. The half-hour program featured Dani Stern, Emil Patel, Brian Roberts, and Jay Rosenkrantz earning $35,700 in the first week of the two month challenge.
The thrill of Las Vegas life, the heartache of online poker, and the perks of being a self-made millionaire all took center stage on the show’s inaugural installment. The opening credits noted, “These four former math whizzes are four of the best online poker players in the world.” “2 Months, $2 Million” began with the quartet driving down the Las Vegas Strip to a luxury home in Sin City. When they arrived, the SUV erupted with a chorus of “Bing, bing, bow. Here is the house.” The new digs featured an outdoor pool, a spacious courtyard, and a high-tech war room complete with four desktop computers, leather office chairs, and oversized televisions displaying the action from the virtual felts.
The four youngsters introduced themselves and each gave their poker story. Patel told “2 Months, $2 Million” cameras, “At first, [my conservative Indian parents] were a little skeptical of me playing professionally, but when my mom found out how much money I was making, she said, ‘OK, you need to sit down and teach your dad how to play.’” Rosenkrantz admitted that it took him only a few years to turn a $100 deposit into a seven-figure bankroll.
One of the bedrooms in the house featured a princess-style room, complete with pink paint on the walls and a herd of stuffed animals. An Omaha poker tournament was held to determine who would become its resident for the summer in Las Vegas. In the end, Stern lost the sit and go and proceeded to rid the princess room of any toys before finally barely fitting on the bed. Patel received the master bedroom, which featured remote controlled curtains.
The crew then explained the “penalty stunt” to the viewing audience on G4: “The penalty stunt is the punishment for the lowest earner of the week and the purpose of those stunts is to force us to put in as many hands as possible.” Past penalty stunts have included Patel being pied in the face, Patel dressing up as a chili pepper and ordering food from Chipotle, and one of the cast donning a Smurf outfit for dinner.
“2 Months, $2 Million” then turned to Rosenkrantz’s struggles against fellow online poker player “Blewjob.” By the end of Week 1, Day 3, the team was down $38,000. However, Rosenkrantz alone had dropped $82,000, much of it seemingly ending up in the hands of Blewjob. He explained, “There are two days left in the week. I’m way behind everyone. I’ve stacked tons of money to this guy named Blewjob.” Roberts chimed in, “Jay has been playing a lot less poker this year. When he has played, his results haven’t been quite up to par.” A montage of pots won by Blewjob ensued.
The four poker players headed to AquaKnox at the Venetian for dinner. Roberts issued a pep talk to Rosenkrantz and Patel, the two lowest earners of the week: “No excuses. There’s nothing that should stop us from being the best players in the world from this point forward.” After a toast to “life,” Tom “durrrr” Dwan and Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond joined the foursome to lend advice. On Dwan, Rosenkrantz claimed, “My results aren’t as good as his, but what Brian said is right. There’s no reason I can’t dominate like they do.”
Rosenkrantz’s poker skills eventually took over, as he deciphered a timing tell on Blewjob. When his adversary took his time making a bet, he had a hand. If he checked the turn instantly, he didn’t have anything. If he stalled before acting on the turn, he was likely to check-call. Rosenkrantz commented on his eureka moment: “I know when I can steal pots from him.” Rosenkrantz, once down $116,000, ended the week up $4,600.
After Patel’s 25th birthday party at the Palms, the team’s tally for the week was revealed: Patel was up $8,600 and Roberts was up $42,000, the biggest winner of the group. Stern was down $19,500, the only player in the red, and he was forced to dress up in a leotard, tutu, and pink wig for his penalty stunt. A group of girls joined the cross-dressed poker player for dinner at a casino buffet, where he commented, “I do this to pick up women.”
Next week, Stern notes, “Sometimes the poker gods don’t smile on you” and he begins to drink when his session goes south. “2 Months, $2 Million” airs on G4 every Sunday at 9:00pm ET.